Mission:  Falcon 9, Iridium-9 & OneWeb 19

1) Background info: Source

"A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 15 spare satellites for OneWeb’s first-generation global internet network and one prototype for OneWeb’s Gen2 second-generation network. Five spare satellites for Iridium’s voice and data relay fleet will also launch on this mission."

2) Launch window:    6:16 AM PDT  (9:16 AM EDT) (20 May 2023).

3) Launch site:   SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California

4) Launch direction:   Southerly

5) Webcast viewing options:

a. SpaceX webcast (Starts about 15 minutes before liftoff)

b.  YouTube:



6)  Observation comments:    None

7)  Launch preparations:

a.  Boats heading out.


Credit:  Gav Cornwell@SpaceOffshore.   ~1100 AM PDT on 16 May 2023.   Of Course I Still Love You droneship departed the Port of Long Beach early this morning to support the upcoming Iridium-9/OneWeb mission - NET May 19th.


Credit:   Gav Cornwell@SpaceOffshore.   West Coast SpaceX support ship GO Beyond departed from Long Beach earlier to support the upcoming Iridium-9/OneWeb mission

b.  Satellites:


The payload stack includes Iridium’s satellites on top, with our OneWeb satellites below.  Credit:  OneWeb
The bottom two rows are OneWeb satellites.  The upper row of those two rows has JoeySat at the far right.  Notice the lack of the silver "fan-like" components.

c.  Ready for launch:   See sunset picture in post #2 below plus......


Credit:  SpaceFlightNow.com

d.  Navigation warning:


Raul@Raul74Cz.   Launch Hazard Areas for #Iridium-9 / #OneWeb-L19 mission from VSFB SLC-4E NET 19 May 13:19 UTC, alternatively 20-25 May. B1063.11 planned landing 655km downrange. Estimated fairing recovery ~752m downrange. S2 reentry area south of Cape Town.

8) First stage return/ocean recovery/disposal:    OCISLY drone ship recovery

9) Launch to deployment events/timeline:      

Hours:Minutes:Seconds after lift-off.  Times approximate.  

00:01:12   Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:33   1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:36   1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:44   2nd stage engine starts (SES-1)
00:03:13   Fairing deployment
00:06:45   1st stage entry burn begins
00:07:09   1st stage entry burn completes
00:08:29   1st stage landing burn begins
00:08:41   2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:08:52   1st stage landing
00:55:09   2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)
00:55:13   2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
00:59:17   Deployment of first Iridium satellite
01:01:28   Deployment of second Iridium satellite
01:02:02   Deployment of third Iridium satellite
01:02:49   Deployment of fourth Iridium satellite
01:04:30   Deployment of fifth Iridium satellite
01:05:32   Deployment of first and second OneWeb satellites
01:06:25   Deployment of third and fourth OneWeb satellites
01:06:51   Deployment of fifth and sixth OneWeb satellites
01:21:47   Deployment of seventh and eighth OneWeb satellites
01:23:38   Deployment of OneWeb’s JoeySat and ninth OneWeb satellite
01:24:45   Deployment of 10th and 11th OneWeb satellites
01:25:47   Deployment of 12th and 13th OneWeb satellites
01:26:26   Deployment of 14th and 15th OneWeb satellites

10)  Orbit destination:  Polar orbit

3 Falcon 9 rockets on 3 SpaceX launch pads ? https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK pic.twitter.com/TQK1wpcqhK

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) May 19, 2023

Starlink 6-3 now at 1:31 AM EDT.

I missed it but Starlink 6-3 was successfully launched at 2:19 AM EDT.  The booster was recovered and satellites deployed.

Webcast is live.

abort

Status being investigated.  Unknown if they can launch in the near timeframe.

scrubbed til tomorrow

Launch now 6:16 AM PDT (9:16 AM EDT) on 20 May 2023.

Webcast is live.

t-10mins

nailed it

Boring regularity.  193 landings.

Mission:  Falcon 9, Axiom-2

1) Background info: Source

"A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on the program’s 10th flight with astronauts. The commercial mission, managed by Axiom Space, is commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson. Paying passenger John Shoffner will serve as pilot of the mission. Two commercial space fliers from Saudi Arabia, Ali AlQarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, will also be on the approximately 12-day mission to the space station. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea off the coast of Florida. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral. "

2) Launch window:    5:37 PM EDT  (21 May 2023).

3) Launch site:   LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

4) Launch direction:   Northeasterly

5) Webcast viewing options:

a. SpaceX webcast (Starts about 3.5 hours before liftoff)

b.  YouTube:



6)  Observation comments:    None

7)  Launch preparations:

a.  Boats heading out:  None needed for this launch.  No fairing and this will be a RTLS (Return to Launch Site) booster recovery.

b.  Satellite (Crew Dragon capsule):


Credit:  SpaceX


Credit:  SpaceX

c.  Ready for launch:


Credit:  SpaceX  


Credit:  SpaceX

d.  Navigation warning:


Raul@Raul74Cz.   Launch Hazard Areas for Axiom #Ax2 CrewDragon mission according NOTAM/NOTMAR messages valid for NET 21 May 21:37 UTC, alternatively 22-28 May. LZ1 landing for B1080.1. Stage2 debris reentry in South Pacific on the first orbit.

8) First stage return/ocean recovery/disposal:    Return to launch site area....Landing Zone 1.

9) Launch to deployment events/timeline:      

Hours:Minutes:Seconds after lift-off.  Times approximate.  

00:01:02   Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:26   1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:29   1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:37   2nd stage engine starts
00:02:39   Boostback Burn Start
00:03:28   Boostback Burn End
00:06:25   1st stage entry burn
00:07:31   1st stage landing burn
00:07:58   1st stage landing
00:08:47   2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:11:58   Dragon separates from 2nd stage
00:12:46   Dragon nosecone open sequence begins

10)  Orbit destination:   ISS rendezvous at 51 degree inclination.

ISS ground track prior to launch.  Credit:  Heavens-Above.com

coverage has started for the Axiom 2 mission

t-9mins

watching for anvil cloud moving closer

Bump

weather is a GO

nailed it

they make it look so easy

Watching the first stage land is still incredible to watch. I'd like to see that in person and hear the sonic boom at some point in my life.

It was a beautiful thing. Unbelievable every time I see those rockets land standing upright.

Did it launch? I got clouds and didn't see a thing.

Over the next 16 hours, the #Ax2 crew will travel to the @Space_Station for a 9:24 AM ET arrival.

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) May 21, 2023

SpaceX Falcon 9 B1080 comes in for landing at LZ-1 after the successful liftoff of Axiom-2 to the ISS! pic.twitter.com/sKiYapri5P

Jerry Pike  (@JerryPikePhoto) May 21, 2023

Our livestream, which includes our own cameras at KSC is blocked due to some Saudi media conglomerate claiming they own it. Unbelievable.

Chris Bergin - NSF  (@NASASpaceflight) May 21, 2023

Saudi Arabia's MBC Group appears to be issuing takedown notices of video of the Ax-2 launch for footage it doesn't own. Not a great look. https://t.co/rHWM2xI4wx

— Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) May 22, 2023

Caught the double sonic booms here, buddy across the river (West) only heard one of them.
I love RTLS launches !

Mission:  Falcon 9, Badr 8

1) Background info: Source

"A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Badr 8 communications satellite for Arabsat based in Saudi Arabia. From geostationary orbit, Badr 8 will provide communications coverage for Arabsat customers over Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Badr 8 also hosts an optical communications payload developed by Airbus. The spacecraft was built by Airbus, and is based on the Eurostar Neo platform. The Falcon 9’s first stage booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean."

2) Launch window:    11:25 PM EDT  (26 May 2023) -  1:32 AM EDT (27 May 2023).  Launch time is 12:30 AM EDT, 27 May.

3) Launch site:   SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

4) Launch direction:   Easterly

5) Webcast viewing options:

a. SpaceX webcast (Starts about 15 minutes before liftoff)

b.  YouTube:



6)  Observation comments:    None

7)  Launch preparations:

a.  Boats heading out:  


David Diebold@DavidJDPhotos.   May 19.    Bob with Just Read the Instructions in tow heading out to sea ahead of next Tuesday’s launch of Arabsat 7B!

b.  Satellite:


Credit:  Airbus



c.  Ready for launch:


SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket stands on pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in preparation for liftoff with the Badr 8 communications satellite for Arabsat. Credit: SpaceX

d.  Navigation warning:


Raul@Raul74Cz.  Launch Hazard Areas for #Arabsat Badr 8 mission from CCSFS SLC-40, valid for NET 24 May 04:45 UTC, altern. 25 to 30 May based on issued NOTAM/NOTMAR. B1062.14 landing 682km downrange. Estimated fairing recovery position approximately 810km downrange.

8) First stage return/ocean recovery/disposal:    Drone ship JRTI.

9) Launch to deployment events/timeline:      

Hours:Minutes:Seconds after lift-off.  Times approximate.  

00:01:12   Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:33   1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:36   1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:44   2nd stage engine starts (SES-1)
00:03:22   Fairing deployment
00:06:29   1st stage entry burn starts
00:06:51   1st stage entry burn ends
00:08:10   2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:08:23   1st stage landing burn start
00:08:44   1st stage landing
00:29:03   2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)
00:30:02   2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
00:37:13   ARABSAT BADR-8 deploys

10)  Orbit destination:   Geosynchronous transfer orbit

Targeting 12:00 a.m. ET for liftoff

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) May 24, 2023

Now 12:45 AM EDT on 24 May

I was just outside. so many clouds. I will probably not see this one unless I get a break in the clouds again. It rained like the dickens a few hours ago.  Lightning too.

Now targeting 1:22AM

Launch time now 1:22 AM EDT

stream is active

HOLD

ABORT

Weather abort.  The probability that the weather would be OK last night was 25%.  The new forecast is down to 20%.  Why even try?

Version that is easier to read

Updated YouTube link for 26 May 2023 attempt at 11:25 PM EDT for Falcon 9, BADR 8

Weather is worse today than yesterday.

Now targeting Friday, May 26 for Falcon 9’s launch of the @Arabsat BADR-8 mission from SLC-40 in Florida to allow more time for pre-launch checkouts and for weather conditions to improve ? https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) May 25, 2023

Seems like a prudent decision.

Yesterday the odds of good weather (for Wednesday night) was 20%.  Thursday forecast for Friday night has a 40% chance of good weather and that increases to 80% for Saturday night.

Source

And the launch time will be (for now) at  11:25pm eastern time.

SpaceX link with the actual time

L-1 day (issued 25 May 2023) forecast shows a 30% chance of acceptable weather tonight (Friday, 26 May) and 85% Saturday night.

Targeting 12:30 a.m. ET for liftoff

SpaceX  (@SpaceX) May 27, 2023

Webcast is starting.

On time (1230 AM EDT) launch.  First stage recovered (195th time).

She went up nice like at 12:30 eastern. I stood outside and watched from over 100 miles away And saw it clear as day.

Payload deployed.